Boriqua

Jeff of JLS Leather inspired me to share what I use as a burnisher in one of his responses to another thread. I tried wood and plastic and I bought those wheels that go on the dremel but at the end of the day my fastest tool that gives me the finest results and is most versatile is this old horn shoe horn I got at good will. Another great $1 find. The pointed section works great for burnishing the belt slots on holsters, on long pieces like belts I use the wider end and on small pieces like the edge of a holster I use the narrow end but up a bit. It makes it look like glass and is so easy to use and hold. Been about 2 years using this and every time I piss away money on another tool I end up back using this.

Hey Martyn The place I got them from sells a bunch of household goods and I checked but they dont seem to have them anymore but I did a "similar items" search and this is what came up. Even at 20 dollars its a good deal. I had to pass a file real quick on them but they have been indispensable time savers. I used to mark corners with a coin and then cut them out with a razor blade but they never really looked great and then I would sand them for 5 minutes. With these tools one bang in each corner and they are all even and wonderful and they work great on belt ends! hope this helps http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_nkw=Leather+Craft+Belt+Strap+Wallet+Bag+End+Arc-shaped+Punch+Leather+Handwork+5+Size&_id=121171114229&&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2658 opps I should mention though it will be obvious .. they have some that are a full arch and ones that are just a curve. I bought the curved ones because I thought they would be more versatile but at that price I may get a set of the arched ones as well. The curved set let me do the little bit of detail like on the flap of the firestone on the sheath lickity split. I could have traced and cut out the shape but I have never had resounding success making it all look somewhat even.

I bought this set for 9.99 shipped on ebay almost a year ago I measure the center of my belt at the edge I want to cut and pick a curve that makes me feel good from my 10 dollar set and clip one half side and then I flip it and cut the other side. Comes out great. Dont know how I ever lived without these and they are great for doing more complex curves when chained together and clipping corners

aw man I want in on that deal!!

I am TERRIBLE about making things for myself. If I make anything nice I want to share it and so I sell it. Me .. cobbled together junk. So I have a CHEAP walmart belt that was to soft a leather to support my gun. It was plenty thick but just soft. I scuffed the inside which was heavily covered in shiny stuff and glued a piece of 6-7 to the inside and put weights on it for a couple of days. I then took a razor and trimed the piece and over a year later I still use it everyday and it hasnt delaminated. I wouldn’t trust it at the fold over at the buckle as the only means of attaching the buckle but the two pieces of leather have held firm!? YMMV .. and I am actually really surprised myself.

I am not offended by skulls and have done more than a few. They have been used in art work since the second person started making art. The first person I think did an animal and the third a naked woman. In many a culture skull imagery is used in celebration of life. However nasty words on a family forum may not be appropriate and perhaps those pieces need to go into the adult forum. I am thinking of one pillion pad in particular. Now I am not easily offended and my tastes in art are rather wide. Words are just that and have only the power you give them. I have received a formal art education in NYC and while it doesnt make me the artist many are here it did expose me to a huge variety of styles and work. That particular leather piece with the offensive word I want to see if only to judge the merits of the work. Often times like with that piece I reference the value is derived from the shock value and not the artistic endeavour but I want to see it and be the judge so I wouldn’t want to see that kind of work removed from the forums but I can see where it needs its own cubby and one has been provided. Inspiration comes from the darndest places.

Yes the pic was very helpful. I think before I lay out any money I am going to try and grind something simple out of some brass rod I have. It looks like just a double bevel. I am kind of leather burned out at the moment so that will be a project for this week and I will report back whether it worked for anyone else that may be playing along.

Just read through all of that ... needed a break from reality. I am absolutely confused why you received guff and I say more power to ya. I am VERY happy not to be on the dating scene, especially now with new rules I dont get but were I to be on the lookout for a potential mate, partner and friend I would look in places where people have similar interests. My wife is an outdoors girl. I wouldnt have found her indoors!! Why would I look for a partner in a disco, I know they dont have those anymore, if I hate discos. Why wouldnt I go to the beach, park, church or art class in a setting doing something I enjoy, hoping to find someone with similar interests. My wife is an outdoors girl. I wouldnt have found her indoors!! Good for you... go get em! Great thing about leatherworkers is judging by this board they run both sexes and from young studs to highly cantankerous old men. Gotta be appropriate apple in there. Alex

Why yes! When leaning forward running to close a gap in pitched mano o mano battle across an open field and .... when leaning over a sink to get sick. In either scenario you should look good and the basket weave will be level with the ground. I try and think of every eventuality.

If I am going to wet and rewet my leather several times over several sessions then I put neatsfoot oil over the entire project when I am done carving and let it soak in for at least 24 hours. Then I will buff and paint. I have no scientific evidence this does anything but I figure wetting and drying the leather several times over several days is going to require a little oil afterwards and I have not had any problems with cracking or paint adhesion using this method.

Actually I am thrilled to be able to serve people who are being undeserved by production companies. That is the beauty of CUSTOM made. I have always thought too many people use hand made and custom made interchangeably and I just dont think its so. Ive been making this holster for a little bit but never lefty. Be that as it may ... I must have had a heart attack several times when I sat down to work on it thinking OH *&$%^*& I made it backwards. I mean these things take some time and effort. Here is one for the lefties!! Oh and still lov'in me some fat wrinkles!! I think I would have liked this one a tiny bit more if I had used my siewa #2 but live and learn.

Thank you for the kind words. It was received well on the Marlin owners group and the gentleman who ordered it said I deserve a tip so he is paying more than I asked but I think I will make another just without the t rex. I didnt take a deposit and was really worried what I would do with a rifle cover with a t rex if he hated it but since this is for fun and beer money and that pesky health insurance payment I figured I could let it go cheap if he hated it. Its a black, to mahogany to cherry fade with a touch of antique to just bring up the grain some and the now final product is stitched with scarlet thread on the other side as well mostly for decoration. He is coming to pick it up tomorrow ... wish me luck! Alex

I'm with you .. I have the Twin eagle in black, dark brown and light brown and there is one or two other colors I want to own but I like to have some yellow around because .. well I really like yellow ... but I dont think I would ever use the 900m that comes on a twin eagle spool so its nice to be able to grab a still fairly hefty roll of thread for under 10 bucks shipped that I will only use occasionally.

I would love to see the pic as well. After asking around a bit about beaders and such I went with just using my swivel knife to create two grooves then I take my beveler and I drag it in the groove one one edge and then turn it around and drag it in the other. Sort of a double bevel but no tapping. It worked but I am still thinking a beader would work better. If you can figure out how to put up the image feel free to send it to me via email and I will post it. Hey Tom I have an account with weaver but I dont recall getting any summer coupon code? Bummer.... or I just missed it. Have to check my email

Never had a request for a T rex with a bright eye on a rifle butt cover ... More pix here http://www.boriqualeather.com/Gallery/index.php/T-rex-Rifle-Butt-Cover

I have 2 Tandy awl blades I got about 25 years ago and they are awesome. Nice sharply defined diamond shape and after sharpening they glide through leather. I love em ... Recently I have started using flat thread and the holes created with the tandy's were a little large for that and I bought some siewa awls among others to try and I have been very happy with the siewa awls. I don’t like the feel of their handles but I use a separate handle, a leather burnishers stinger. A little sand paper and maybe some tung oil on the handles would have also been fine too. I have a Verquez Blanchard and tried some craftsha but have settled on the Seiwa 1 and 2 and my Tandy's. I use them every day. The siewa awl blades are straight side and not tapered which I think makes it a bit easier to make a controlled consistent stitch with. I like them so much I am ordering two more to have as backup. http://goodsjapan.com/seiwa-leathercraft-stitching-awl-for-sewing-leather-diamond-point-size-2-849-p.asp

That would be fine and I do that sometimes when I want to give the colors the best chance to match. You can use the same dye almost the same way but it will look different on different rolls of leather. The only thing I would do is at least partially pre curve the wallet outer when you glue in the inside piece otherwise you may get weird wrinkles when you go to fold the wallet. Dont glue the two pieces flat.

Wow that looks great. I think anything close retails for like 40 bucks. Nice score!

Be sure to post your result ! I am always lookng to learn something new.

I was thinking the same thing .. I aint letting those work boots anywhere near work!!! Awesome job!!!

I have always dyed first but I am anxious to hear other responses. I know you cant dye over gum Its miserable and like I said .. get some on the smooth side on accident and just throw out the piece or get real creative. However .. if you read Hidepounders treatise on edges he does glycerin on the edges and dyes over it later but I never tried it on large flat areas. As a little extra insurance against color rub you can hit your back side with some resolene after you have allowed the glycerin to dry really well. Just a little or you might cause cracking.

kind of like a drum head .. I dig it!

were it me I might be inclined to make a circle with veg tan but with spokes coming out of the circle. I cant tell What the diameter is from the pic but about 1.5 -2 inches wide and then sew them over the frame. Now if I wanted to get nuts I would braid leather around the entire top circle of the frame and then sew my tabs around the covered rod. I think it might look hot.

I found an old .. I think Jewellery box .. at Good will and it was made of heavy glass and the lid is over 1/4 thick. Its about 3.5 inches by say 5.5. Its perfect and I keep junk in the box and when I need to burnish I just snatch the lid, rinse and put it back. All for 99 cents!! I treat the insides of all my holsters with it and it makes it nice and smooth and you can really lean on it in a way I couldnt with just a bone folder.

If you happen to be near a camera and have the inclination I would love to see how it faded. Im actually thinking how that effect might be used for good and not evil!